Nut-lock.



P. E. SPENCER.

NUT LOCK.

APPLICATION FILED DEG. 12, 1911.

Patented Mar. 5, 1912.

y INVENTOR.

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f NUT-LOCK.

Specification of Letters vPatent.

.ratentedMan 5,1912.'

Application mea December 12, A1911. serial' Nn. 665,368.

To all 'whom t may concern .1 t

iBe it known that I, FRANK E. SPENCER, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Thomburg, in the county .of Alleghenyvand State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Nut-Locks; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and eXactdescriptio/n thereof.

My invention relates to nut locks and is concerned with a device of this character adapted particularly though not, exclusively for use with rail joints.

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The invention has for its object to provide a simple and economical device for insuring the secure fastening of a bolt nut and which consists of a singleelement acting both las a nut lock and a washer for the nut. I

In the drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment, of my invention, Figure l is a fragmentary view in side elevation of a rail joint illustrating one manner of applying my invention. Fig. 2 is `a sectional view on the line 2-2 Fig. 1 showing the position of the nut lock beforev the nut is finally turned up. Fig.' 3 is a view similar to Fig. V.Q'showing the parts after the nut has been tightened up and Fig.` 4 is a perspective view of the combined nut lock and washer.

In the embodiment of my invention herein selected for illustration, the nut l lock comprises a washer 1 which may be out from a rolled strip or bar of spring steel of the cross section indicated. The under side of the combined washer and nut look is arched as at 2 2, and the upper face is provided withthe locking ridges 3 3 joined by the web 4 in which is the bolt aperture 5. 'The opposite sides of the nut `lock parallel with the ribs 3 3 are shaped to produce more or less sharp edges 6 6 adapted to bite intoy the face of the surface upon which the washer rests.

The space between the ribs 3 3 is of such width that when the nut is finally turned up tight the parallel edges of the head thereof will lie just within these ridges whereby the nut will be securely held in the position to which it is turned. yn turning up the nut against this combined lock or washer, the corners of the head ride over these ridges as indicated in dotted lines Fig. 2 and as the nut is turned up the cen 'tral web of the lock member is gradually forced inward until it lies substantially lat against thesurface of the article to be clamped, as shown in Fig. 3. The reduced i thickness of 'the web 4 compared with that Lof the ribs 3 3 causes -the web to bend 'inwardly substantially along the lines 7 7 under the pressure of thenut soethat the web may be rmly clamped against the article while the resilience of the combined llockfand washer as a whole is retained.

The first effect of turning up the nut is to cause the biting edges 6 6 to bed themselves slightly within the face of the article to be clamped. The further turning up of the nut would apparently cause these biting edges to spread, but by the peculiar curvature of the lower face of the lock member and the dis- Ururnn srarlrs PATENT orrrcE. f

tribution of. the thickness thereof, this this lock is to be made of steel of suicient elasticity to.- permit of the moreor less abrupt bending along the lines 7 7, but at the same time the web is made of sufficient thickness so that the devicejwill not be permanently distorted by the tightening up of the nut. Furthermoreit is to be noted that the locking ridges 3 3 are formed not by corrugating the device but by thickening the sides. Again it will be observed that these thickened portions, or

the ridges 3 3, although located slightlyn within the line of the biting edges 6 6are nevertheless suiciently close to -these biting edges to reinforce them and cause them to `bite throughout their lengths into the article clamped. In other words, thesethickf ened ridges perform the functions of reinforcing trusses for the biting edges, It will be seen therefore that by combi/ningthese mutually react upon each other to enable each to perform its function more effectively.

.While I have illustrated this invention in Fig. 1 asapplied to a rail joint in which the rails 8 are bound together by splice plate 9, it 'is to be understood that the invention is equally applicable wherever it is neces- 'locking ridges and bitingedges these parts 105 lsary to secure a bolt and nut against acci-I dental loosenin from vibrations. Furthermore'this nut ookl may be advanta ously used against .a wood surface where t e biting edges 6 will grip firmly within the material.

while I have her-ein described the part-ica- .larl lembodiment of my invention and have specified certain dimension, itis to beunderstood that the invention may be altered in ydetails within the 'scope rofthe appended claims.

l What I claim is: A

1. A combined nut lock and washer concave upon one face to provide biting edges, and having a flat bearing surface at-the op posite side and lookin ribs at the opposite sides of said bearing ace.

2. A combined 'nut lock and washer havningonefface.concave 4to provide oppositel vbiting edges and having a fiat bearing face'.

' at the opposite side, locking ribs extending along o osite sides of sa1d bearin face said locihg ribs ,being parallel wii said bitingedges.l

3. A combined nut lock and washer hav- Y c X ing one face concave to form opposite bit-v I i ing edges, and havin a iiat -bearmgsurface upon the opposite lace, the `edgesofy said washerbeing thickened opposite said bitg' edges to form locking ribs for Itheiiut and to reinforce said biting edges.`

4. A combined nut-lock and washer havparallel with and closely adjacent to said edges, a portion of the washer between said ribs being thinned and having ai flat bearing face for the nut. 1

" In testimony whereof, I the said FRANK E. SPENCER, have #hereunto 'set my hand'. J

Witnessesi v ROBERTO. ToTrEN, J oHN F. WILL.

FRANK E. SPENCER.4 

